A dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell consisting of a film of
SnO2 crystallites coated with ultrafine particles of Al2O3 generates
an exceptionally high open-circuit voltage as compared to a cell made only
from SnO2. Al2O3 coating on SnO2 improves the efficiency and the
fill factor while delivering reasonably high photocurrents. Photoexcited dye
molecules on Al2O3 injects electrons into the conduction band of SnO2
via tunnelling through the Al2O3 barrier. Suppression of recombinations
of electrons with the dye cations and the acceptors at the electrolytic
interface build up the quasi-Fermi level in SnO2 with an impressive
increase of the open-circuit voltage.
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